bystanders

plural of bystander
as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bystanders As federal agents took the driver of the civilian vehicle into custody, several bystanders confronted them, leading to one or two additional arrests, FOX 32 Chicago reported, citing the police. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025 Gun battles erupted as part of the operation — ordered by the state’s tough-on-crime governor — which targeted one of the country’s biggest drug trafficking organizations, though bystanders are feared to have been caught in the crossfire. Semafor Events, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025 That same morning, Nat had watched a video of three trans women being attacked in Los Angeles, the assailant egged on by bystanders. James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025 Nearby, other agents fire chemical irritants into the ground to keep bystanders away, appearing to cause some people to cough, the video shows. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025 Following the incident, bystanders rushed to assist the men, who were then taken to Enmore Regional Hospital. Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025 The operation involved dozens of federal agents and provoked protests from bystanders, the Associated Press reported. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 Agents, occupants and bystanders could be killed or wounded. Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025 Previously, multiple scientific studies performed by medical professionals revealed that bystanders were hesitant to perform CPR due to fear of doing it incorrectly or discomfort with mouth-to-mouth breathing. Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystanders
Noun
  • Then a gunshot appeared to ring out, sending spectators running in the opposite direction.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Pulcer was known for entertaining spectators at the Soo Locks by blasting classical music day or night over the vessel's speakers, Winters said.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • As the 34-year-old Mamdani prepares to be sworn in at midnight on New Year’s Eve, observers and even close supporters wonder if his showbiz pedigree will translate to support for the city’s film and TV production sector.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Legal observers are also watching whether the Court’s conservative majority—which invoked the major questions doctrine to strike down Biden-era initiatives on student loans, pandemic mandates, and climate rules—applies the same standard to a Republican president.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Regardless of where the viewers are coming from, eyeballs are returning to the baseball diamond, and the Dodgers have demonstrated just how significant their role in the shift has been.
    Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • However, as the show continues to capture audiences with a dramatization of one of the most notorious true crime cases in modern American history, the man responsible for the killings is asking viewers to consider watching with a skeptical mind.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bystanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystanders. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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